Incurable
by WitchGirl
Summary: Can magic fix everything? It’s a Ron fic...
1. Ron, Ginny and the rest of the family

Incurable  
  
Summary: Can magic fix everything? It's a Ron fic...  
Disclaimer: I don't own nothing! (Oops, double negative!)  
Rating: PG  
Author: Carly  
  
Ron sat kicking his legs back and fourth on the bed. He'd been thinking about everything they'd been through together. He, Harry, and Hermione. For years, it had been just Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But what if... What if eventually it just became Harry and Hermione? What if there was no Ron? They wouldn't do that, surely, they wouldn't do that. They'd been through too much to ditch him. That wasn't really his worry. His worry was telling *them* he'd have to leave. He really didn't want to. Harry and Hermione were closer to him then anyone else. He didn't want to leave. But what if he had to? What if some force would push him away? Something important. What if something wouldn't let him see them again? Something like what was happening now.   
  
His mother ran into the room and saw him writing at his desk.  
  
"No, Ron!" she cried.  
  
"But Mum!" Ron protested, "I want to send an owl to Harry and Hermione!"  
  
"You're supposed to be in bed and that's where you'll stay! I brought you up your potion. Drink it gently... I'm sure you will be just fine before school starts," she smiled warmly. Ron looked into his mother's eyes and saw the worry he'd seen before. She only *hoped* he'd be better before school started. She was no longer sure. He was no longer sure. He sighed and lay back on his pillow, taking the offered potion. His mother smiled down at him.  
  
"You needn't worry, sweetheart," said his mother, "If you're a good boy and take your potions and eat your chocolate, you'll be just fine." And she left. Ron sipped the horrible tasting potion. He got out of bed and walked over to the desk again.  
  
"Dear Harry  
I was really looking forward to having you and Hermione over this summer, but unfortunately, I don't think it's possible this year. We're..."  
  
He stopped. He wasn't quite sure what to write there. He couldn't tell him the truth. But he couldn't lie to him either. He continued.  
  
"We're having a few family problems. Maybe you and Hermione could get together. If only my family wasn't so problematic. Well, see you at school.  
Ron."  
  
Ron sighed and stared at the letter. He added that Harry should tell Hermione he'd see her at school as well. He called Pigwidgeon over and tied the letter to his foot. Taking a large bite of chocolate and feeling a bit dizzy, he threw back the covers of his bed and crawled in. He pulled the covers over his head, brought his knees to his chest, and prayed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ginny hugged the teddy bear close to her chest. She hadn't seen Ron in over two weeks. Her mother wouldn't let anyone into the room. She'd isolated him. She didn't want any of her other children catching what Ron had even though she wasn't sure if it was contagious. But as a mother, she felt immune to anything her children had and would bring Ron potions and chocolate and food and was there when he needed her.  
  
"When can we see Ron again, Mum?" Ginny had asked her once.  
  
"Whenever we hear from the DMI again," her mother smiled weakly.  
  
The DMI was the Doctor of Magical Illnesses. He'd come to see Ron when he'd first gotten sick. He'd whispered to Mrs. Weasley something. She hadn't told her children what he'd said.  
  
Ginny wished she knew what was going on. She wished desperately to see her brother. The house had been so quiet since the DMI had came. Her parents had been a little depressed since then too. Bill and Charlie had come over for a while and sometimes, late at night, they'd retire to the kitchen with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and talk quietly. They were doing that now. Ginny decided it was about time she found out.  
  
Ginny crept down the stairs cautiously. She tiptoed her way to the kitchen. She heard voices speaking softly behind the door as she pressed her ear against it.  
  
"Oh Arthur!" Ginny's mother sobbed, "I don't know what to do!"  
  
"It's alright, Mum," Charlie tried to comfort her.  
  
"Yeah," Bill agreed, "He's a fighter. You should know that by now. He's been through a whole lot more than this. Just look at his friends! Harry Potter! And Hermione Granger. He says she's really smart. You couldn't be around a better crowd."  
  
"We aren't discussing his social status, though, are we, Bill?" Mrs. Weasley asked, "We're discussing..."  
  
"I know what we're discussing. My point is that he can get through this."  
  
"Bill's right, Molly," said Mr. Weasley, "If I had to have a son in this predicament, it would be Ron."  
  
"The DMI said there's no known magical cure. He says this is a new disease. He says they've only just discovered it. He says it works fast and is very rare."  
  
"I don't think you should talk to him, Mum. He never says anything good," Charlie told her. Mrs. Weasley continued.  
  
"He says that they're working hard and to continue giving him the potion until further notice. He said not to let him see anyone until further notice."  
  
"I don't understand why we're keeping the children away from their brother," Mr. Weasley said, "They haven't seen him in over three weeks! I haven't seen him since last Tuesday! I doubt it's contagious."  
  
"We don't want to risk it though," Mrs. Weasley told him.  
  
"Yeah, Dad," Charlie added, "It is a new disease after all. And it's hard to tell whether it's contagious or not. It's best to keep them away."  
  
"Where's Percy?" Bill asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Off on some ministry errand. He said he'd come as soon as possible," Mrs. Weasley answered quietly. They sat in silence for a few minutes.  
  
"Well!" Bill finally said, "I think I'll go up and see the lad. Don't worry, Mum, I'll wear a gas mask if necessary," he added, seeing Mrs. Weasley's look.  
  
Ginny scampered away from the door as quickly and quietly as she could and ran upstairs to her room before Bill came out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Bill opened the door to his younger brother's room. He looked over to his bed and saw a lump under the covers. He heard heavy breathing. He smiled.  
  
"Ron," he sighed, shaking his head, "You're giving Mum quite a scare." He walked over to Ron's bed and sat down on the edge. He looked around the room and noticed that Pigwidgeon's cage was empty. He frowned.  
  
"Who did you write to now, eh?" he asked, knowing Ron wouldn't answer. He walked over to the desk and saw the quill lying on top of a piece of parchment. The black ink was dripping onto the parchment, creating a large black blot. Bill looked back at Ron, sleeping soundly in his bed. He walked back over to him and pulled the covers away from his head. Ron shivered a bit, but didn't wake.  
  
"I'm really sorry about this, Ron. We can only hope the DMI has some good information for us for once. He should be by any day now. 'Course, you know Mum. She says that everyday. I'm glad you're asleep. This would have been much more awkward if you were awake. I hope you get well soon, Ron." Bill stood up and walked over to the door. With one last look at Ron, he left.  
  
"What's going on?" a voice demanded. Bill realized that Ginny was standing in the hallway, arms crossed, staring at Ron's door.  
  
"I know just as much as you do, I suppose," he told his sister.  
  
"No, you know more. What's wrong with my big brother?" now, Ginny had six older brothers, but at that moment, it was quite clear which one she was speaking of. None the less, Bill tried to avoid it.  
  
"Which one? Percy's away working for the ministry and Fred and George, well, I'm never exactly sure what they're up to, but-"  
  
"You know who I mean," she stood, resolute in the middle of the hallway, not letting Bill pass. Bill sighed.  
  
"Well, Ron's very ill. Of course, you know that much. The disease he has is rare and incurable. But the Department of Cures for Magical Illnesses is working on a cure at this very moment. All I know is that it might be contagious and Mum doesn't want you going to see him. Ron isn't quite aware of the seriousness of the situation yet. I don't want you going in there and telling him there isn't any cure. I also don't want you speaking to Fred and George about this."  
  
"Too late," George said, stepping out of his room.  
  
"Did you really think you could hide it from us for that long?" Fred asked, coming out behind his twin, "Really, you can't be that daft!" Bill sighed again. He'd been doing a lot of sighing lately.  
  
"Listen," he told the three of them, "Mum thinks she can protect you if you don't know. But I figure it would only make things worse. Don't tell her you know. It would be the stupid thing to do. And you don't want to be stupid do you?" at the last sentence, he eyed Fred and George.  
  
"Hey!" cried Fred, insulted, "We're pranksters, not idiots!"  
  
"Sometimes I wonder..." Bill rolled his eyes and walked down the stairs.  
  
"I think he just insulted us! I'm insulted! Are you insulted, Fred?" George asked, mockingly.  
  
"Very!" Fred answered and they retreated into their room. Ginny was left alone in the hall. Dare she venture what she knew would be wrong?  
  
Ginny timidly opened her brother's door and poked her head in. She saw his red, Weasley hair poking out from under the mass of covers.  
  
"Oh Ron!" she stifled the sob, not wanting to wake him. She walked over to his bed and noticed he was shaking. She blinked hard. She felt her eyes welling up. She was so full of concern for her brother.  
  
"Hi..." Ron croaked from his bed. Ginny jumped.  
  
"You're awake?" she asked. Ron just gave a weak nod in response. He turned his head to face her and Ginny saw his eyes were wide open and bloodshot. She tried to smile, but it didn't work. He succeeded in giving her a strong one, though.  
  
"Don't worry," he told her, "I'll be OK..."  
  
"You couldn't have... In the hall, Bill... You didn't..."  
  
"Yeah," Ron sighed, "I heard you."  
  
"Oh Ron!" Ginny wailed again, "I'm so scared."  
  
"Don't be," Ron told her, keeping his brave smile in place, "I've been in much more than... than this."  
  
"I love you, Ron," Ginny told him. At that moment, a tawny owl flew through the window and hooted. Ginny walked over and untied the paper from it's leg and opened the letter.  
  
"It's from Hermione," she told her brother, and handed it to him.  
  
"You read it," Ron told her. She nodded.  
  
"Greetings from Paris. Viktor surprised me with a tour of France! Well, I hope you're well, Ron. It's been a while since I wrote you, sorry. I'm bringing you and Harry a surprise. I'll show it to you on the train to Hogwarts. My summer has been brilliant, but I only wish you and Harry were here to share it. Pity it's nearly over. Well, I hope to see you soon. Please write back, Hermione."  
  
"So," Ron sighed weakly, "Krum took her to Paris. How original." But Ginny was still looking at the paper.  
  
"Ron..." she said, "Who's Snuffles?"  
  
"What?" Ron asked, jerking up and coughing and holding his head as he did so.  
  
"The PS. It says: 'Harry says Snuffles says hi.'"  
  
"He's a friend of ours. You don't know him. It's a dog." Ron told her. Ginny nodded. "Could you do me a favor?" Ron asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah, anything."  
  
"Write Hermione for me. She hasn't heard from me all summer. But don't tell her I'm sick, please don't. The last thing I want is for her to be worried on her French excursion. She's too happy. Just tell her I'm having some family problems or something like that."  
  
"Do you want me to sign it as myself or do you want me to pretend I'm you?"  
  
"Either way. But if you sign as yourself, make up an excuse for why I couldn't write. Mum will kill me if she sees me writing again. I would do it myself, but..." Ron yawned before he could finish.  
  
"You know what? You get some rest. I'll right her that letter. I'm not supposed to be in here anyway," said Ginny.  
  
"OK," Ron smiled at her weakly. She smiled back this time and left. After she had gone, Ron's smile left his face. He took a deep, shuddering breath and closed his eyes tight as he felt the pain in his chest as he breathed.  
  
"I'm never going to get any better!" he moaned as a tear escaped from his eye. 


	2. Dr. Lauren Barry

Chapter Two: Dr. Lauren Barry  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ginny sat down at the kitchen table.  
  
"Ginny," her mother put her hand on her shoulder, "It's getting late."  
  
"I know, Mum," Ginny smiled up at her, "But I have to do something before I go to sleep."  
  
"Alright then," Mrs. Weasley nodded and left the kitchen with Ron's potion. Ginny stared hard at the parchment in front of her. All it said was 'Dear Hermione.' She was wrestling with herself about what to write next. Thinking about how her mother had tried to hide it from her, Ginny wrote.  
  
"Dear Hermione,  
  
It's Ginny writing. Ron's too ill to get out of bed. He told me not to tell you this, but I think you should know. My mother tried to hide it from me and I think it's better to know than to not know. As I said, Ron's sick. They don't know much about the disease he has. All I know is that it doesn't have a known cure. The DMI said to keep him in bed and to feed him potions, morning and evening. He's getting weaker every day. I just saw him and he looked so pale. He smiled, though. He can still smile. He still has hope, too, even though he heard Bill telling us in the hall. I think he's doing it for me. He's coughing so often and gasps for breath sometimes. I think it pains him to breathe. But he's eating the chocolate Mum gives him and he's drinking the potion as well. I don't think Harry knows yet. Well, that's all I can tell you for now. I have to go to sleep now. Don't tell Ron I told you!  
Ginny."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione sat by the pool in Marseilles and untied the letter off of the owl's foot. She shrieked in surprise as cool water splashed her from the pool. It had been a young French boy. He laughed and swam away. She grinned. Her spirits were too high to be dampened by a little bit of water. Laughing, she opened the letter. Her smile gradually faded. When she had finished the letter, she rose to her feet.  
  
"Something is wrong, Her-my-o-ninny?" Krum asked. But Hermione was still staring at the letter.  
  
"Look," she told him, "I... I have to go. I'm sorry. I can catch a train... or use flu powder, yes, that's faster. Yes, I'll use floo powder," Hermione nodded and folded the letter.  
  
"But..."  
  
"It's a family emergency. I'm terribly sorry, Viktor! It was great, it really was, I loved it, but I have to go. It's very important," Hermione called back to him, running off. Krum looked sadly after her.  
  
"Good bye..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The doorbell rang at the Dursley's. Grumbling, Mr. Dursley answered the door. He looked down at the brunette there, grumpily.  
  
"You would be Mr. Dursley?" she asked, timidly.  
  
"And you are?" he raised an eyebrow. The teenager held out her hand.  
  
"Hermione Granger. I'm here to see your nephew, Harry?" she was cautious, very cautious. Harry had told her that the Dursley's weren't too fond of witches and wizards. Mr. Dursley looked her up and down.  
  
"You aren't one of them are you?"  
  
"One of who, sir? I'm just a neighbor from down the road. My brother was playing with him the other day and I was wondering if Harry'd like to play with him again? You see, he's lonely all by himself and I really don't want to baby-sit, so..." she stopped and looked up at him. He seemed to buy the story. He turned to Hermione and forced a smile.   
  
"I don't think he should be-" but at that moment, Harry appeared at the door. His jaw dropped.  
  
"Hermione!" he cried.  
  
"Hello, Harry," Hermione grinned, "Would you mind playing with my brother again? I have a very important engagement and-"  
  
"Oh, just go!" Mr. Dursley said and pushed Harry out the door.  
  
"Uh, thanks Uncle Vernon," he said as Mr. Dursley slammed the door. Harry turned to Hermione, his face aglow.  
  
"You don't know how happy I am to see you! Dudley's been worse than ever this year. Do you know what he did? It all started with that chocolate cake Aunt Petunia made-"  
  
"Harry, please," Hermione tried.  
  
"Right after she'd brought it out of the oven, Dudley was starving, or so he claimed, see. So he smelt it as it was cooling and decided-"  
  
"Harry, listen to me."  
  
"Let me finish. He decided he wanted some right that moment and-"  
  
"Harry, something's wrong with Ron!" Hermione finally said.  
  
"And so he took that big fat hand of his and- wait, what?" Harry asked.  
  
"Something's wrong."  
  
"He told me he was having some family problems. Are you saying there's more?" Harry asked.  
  
"Ginny sent me an owl. She said he's really sick," Hermione whispered. She looked down at her feet. Harry looked confused.  
  
"But... He'll be OK, right?" Harry asked, "I mean, they can help him, can't they? Magical medicine is far more advanced than muggle medicine..."  
  
"Here's the note Ginny sent me," Hermione handed him the letter, eyes still on the floor. Harry read through it. The letter fluttered from his fingers to the ground. He looked up at Hermione.  
  
"I want to see him," he told her.  
  
"But Ginny said-"  
  
"I don't care!" Harry said, walking past Hermione, "Ron's my best friend. If he's sick, I want to be there for him. He'd do the same for me!"  
  
"But what will you tell him?" Hermione asked, "I don't want to get Ginny in trouble."  
  
"I'll tell him I asked Mrs. Weasley," Harry told her, "I'll be right back." Harry ran into the house and upstairs to his room. He packed a few things in a small rucksack, including his wand, and ran downstairs out to Hermione again. She was standing there waiting for him.  
  
"So?" Hermione asked, "How do you plan on getting there?"  
  
"I'll find a way. I have a good idea of where it is now," Harry told her. They looked at each other in silence for a few minutes.  
  
"So... are you going to come with me?" said Harry finally. Hermione hesitated, then sighed.  
  
"Why not?" she asked, "It's about time I saw him anyway."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
There was a knock at the door the next morning. Mrs. Weasley went to answer it and saw a medium sized woman with a kind face standing at the door. Her wild mane of black curls was pulled back into a ponytail and she held a clipboard under one arm and a briefcase in her other hand. She wore long white robes with a wand sticking out of the front pocket.  
  
"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley. My name is Dr. Lauren Barry. I'll be your son's new Doctor. Dr. Lawrence had to leave on important business to Siberia. I'm here to take a look at Ron."  
  
"Oh yes, of course," Mrs. Weasley let the doctor enter. Lauren looked around at the Burrow.  
  
"Yes... Could you show me to your son's room please?" Lauren asked. Mrs. Weasley led Lauren up the long staircase to the door to Ron's room. Lauren smiled at Mrs. Weasley comfortingly.  
  
"Don't worry," she said, "You're son's in good hands," and with that, she disappeared behind Ron's door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Inside the boy's room, Lauren walked over to the bed where the young man lay. She pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed.  
  
"Ron?" said Lauren, looking at her clipboard and putting on her glasses, "Are you awake?"  
  
"No," came a muffled voice from under the covers.  
  
"Oh, OK. I'll just wait her until you wake up then, should I?" she waited a minute then asked, "Are you awake now?"  
  
"No, still asleep," Ron said again.  
  
"Do you want to talk to me?" Lauren asked. There was a pause and then the Ron threw off the covers.  
  
"OK," He said, wearily. His hair was a mess and his face was very sickly. His chest heaved with every breath he took and his skin was sallow over his weakening bones. Lauren sighed. She had seen this in many of her patients. And many of her patients with this disease hadn't lived. But there was the odd one that did. And she was hoping with all her heart that this boy, this young boy, would be able to live. She would give him all the help she could. He was so young. She couldn't let him die now.  
  
"School will be starting in about two weeks," said Ron, "Mum's gotten the supply list."  
  
"I don't think you'll be going to school, Ron..."  
  
"Neither do I. Doctor, what's wrong with me? Why am I so sick? I know it's rare and I know that you don't have a cure, but tell me. What is the disease?" Ron's blue eyes were sunken and pleading. They were sad eyes. Lauren could picture them full of joy. She couldn't do that with many of her patients. Many of her patients' eyes she could only ever see as sad and imploring. But Lauren could imagine this boy as a smiling one laughing with his friends.  
  
"Maybe he'll do that again some day..." she sighed to herself. Ron had been waiting for an answer.  
  
"Doctor?"  
  
"Call me Lauren," she told him. She had made a rule with herself never to get to close to her patients. In case she ever lost one. But she had to, she just had to. This one particular boy...  
  
"Lauren then. What's wrong with me?"  
  
"You have a fatal respiratory illness inflicted on you by a magical insect with a venomous bite. It is attracted particularly to magical folk. Muggles seem not to notice it. The insect has only surfaced recently and the statistics are... I don't want to bore you with statistics. Ever since the fly appeared five years ago, doctors from all over the magical world have tried in vain to find a cure or a drug to assist in destroying the illness. Unfortunately, with so little known of the disease, we can't find much." Lauren told him as much as she could or wanted to. She couldn't tell him statistics. It would only drain his hope.  
  
"What are the stages?"  
  
"The preliminary stages include coughing, fever and what seems to be bronchitis at first. Then the patient may have extreme difficulty in breathing."  
  
"But I'm passed all that," Ron whispered, "What comes after that?"  
  
"The patient will continue to breathe with difficulty and then will experience severe nausea and stomach pains. Vomiting may be a result of this."  
  
"I'm in the middle of that," Ron moaned, "Can't you do anything for these things? Even if you can't cure it? I mean, it's just nausea and bronchitis symptoms! You have things for that, don't you?"  
  
"Exactly. That's what's been in the potions you've been drinking. Something to ease the pain and help fight off the nausea and sourness in the throat. Chocolate helps as well."  
  
"What comes after this?" Ron asked, "The nausea and things? Will it ever stop?"  
  
"I am afraid none of this will go away, Ron. At least not as quick as that. A little while later the patient will become very dizzy, even when he's lying in bed. You may hallucinate or the room might become a bit blurred and may even begin to spin. This is due to the lack of oxygen to your brain and can be helped slightly with some magic. Soon, fatigue will overwhelm the patient and all he will want to do is sleep. Sometimes they can't sleep because the nausea's too great. Sometimes, that's what... No. What I mean to say is you can't let them sleep all the time. They have to be up for at least four hours a day. Eventually, the strain on the heart and lungs will become too much and the patient will... well, not necessarily. You needn't worry about that, Ron. They're closer to finding a cure than ever before. There are people who come out of this alive. I'm sure you'll do just fine."  
  
"You stopped twice," Ron pointed out, "Once when you were talking about how they become too nauseous to sleep and another time after the patient becomes really tired. But I know what you were going to say."  
  
"Ron, you shouldn't-"  
  
"You were going to say they die. You were going to say that's what kills them and the patient will die. You don't have to hide it from me. Trust me, my life's been in danger more times in the past five years than in my entire life." Ron couldn't believe he was saying this. He didn't know where this burst of courage had suddenly come from. Moments ago, he'd been terrified. He still was terrified. And yet, here he was, telling this new doctor that he'd just met that he was fine with knowing he was going to die.  
  
"I just thought you'd find it disturbing."  
  
"I do," Ron admitted, "But I've been through more than this." Lauren nodded.  
  
"You're a tough kid," she told him. She looked around his room and saw posters of the Chudley Cannons and noticed the dominant color in the room was orange, "Quidditch fan?"  
  
"Oh yes!" Ron said, his eyes lighting up at the mention of it, "My best friend's the seeker for the Gryffindor team at Hogwarts. They've won nearly every game with him on the team! The Chudley Cannons are my favorite professional team..." and he went on and on talking to the doctor. He'd seemed to have forgotten he was ill even though his voice was hoarse as he spoke. Lauren grinned. It was good to see him full of energy. It was a sign of improvement. When Ron had finally finished was when Lauren knew was the best time to tell him.  
  
"Ron, I can tell you like it here. It's a beautiful home and you have your family close by..." Lauren began. Ron was eyeing her suspiciously. He knew something was coming. Lauren continued, "There's no need to beat around the bush. I hate to tell you this, but I'm going to have to take you to St. Mungo's for closer observation." Ron's eyes widened.  
  
"You're taking me there?" he asked, "Why? I'm OK here, really, I am!"  
  
"I thought you'd be like this. I'm a specialist in this disease and it's better for you if you're in the hospital where doctors can attend to you if you need it. You could recover quicker there."  
  
"If I ever recover at all," Ron muttered. Lauren heard him and gave him a compassionate look.  
  
"You will get better, Ron," she promised him, "I won't let you die." 


	3. Harry and Hermione

Chapter Three: Harry and Hermione  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Lauren shook hands with Ron's mother, "You will bring him in tomorrow morning?"  
  
"At 10:00, yes I will," Mrs. Weasley nodded. Lauren smiled kindly at her and left. Just after Mrs. Weasley had closed the door behind her, the doorbell rang again. Mrs. Weasley frowned.  
  
"Have you forgotten something, Doctor-" but she didn't see the doctor at the door.  
  
"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, "We're here to see Ron." Mrs. Weasley looked from Harry to Hermione. They were under a fairly large umbrella, though they were both a little damp from the rain outside. Hermione was looking at her feet again and Harry was looking up at Mrs. Weasley, his expression unclear. Mrs. Weasley was obviously surprised at their presence.  
  
"Come in, children," she hurried them in, "Out of the rain. Come into the kitchen where it's warm." The young witch and wizard followed her and took a seat in the chair.  
  
"Would you like some pumpkin juice? Or something warm, maybe..."  
  
"We're fine, thank you," Harry assured her. She nodded. Mrs. Weasley swallowed hard. What would she tell them?  
  
"Harry, Hermione, there's something..." But at that moment, Ginny entered the kitchen.  
  
"Mum, have you seen-" Ginny stopped dead, "What are you two doing here?" she whispered.  
  
"What are you looking for, Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley asked.  
  
"My wand. Have you seen my wand?"  
  
"It should be in your drawer where you left it last."  
  
"Oh, yes, sorry, Mum," she smiled and left hurriedly. The room was quiet for a few minutes.  
  
"Well," Mrs. Weasley broke the silence, "As I was saying, there's something you should know."  
  
"I beg your pardon, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione's small voice said, "But we already know. About Ron. It's why we're here." Mrs. Weasley looked startled.  
  
"You mean... you know... How?"  
  
"Well..." Harry started.  
  
"I sent them an owl, Mum," Ginny entered the kitchen again. Mrs. Weasley looked up at her only daughter.  
  
"An owl?"  
  
"I thought they should know. They have a right to." Mrs. Weasley nodded.  
  
"Yes," she said, "Yes, of course they do. Well, in that case..." she smiled wanly. Harry and Hermione forced a smile of their own. They both stood up.  
  
"Ron's upstairs in his bedroom. The doctor's just been to see him. He's going to St. Mungo's tomorrow. Please, I don't mean to be rude, but don't stay too long," Mrs. Weasley sighed. Harry and Hermione nodded.  
  
"We won't," Hermione told her, "We promise."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry and Hermione entered the room cautiously. Ron was lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't noticed them come in. He was talking softly to himself.  
  
"What if Lauren's wrong..." he whispered, "What if she can't keep her promise? Stupid disease..." Ron began to cough hard.  
  
"Ron?" Hermione said, tentatively. Ron started. He turned to look at his two friends. They were looking at him, eyes full of sympathetic concern. Ron turned away from them.  
  
"What are you two doing here?" he asked quietly. Harry and Hermione looked at each other.  
  
"We were worried about you," Harry told him, earnestly. He sat in the chair Lauren had been sitting in, "You're my best friend Ron. How could I leave you here like this? How could I leave you suffering when you needed me?"  
  
"Hermione," Ron breathed, "You were in Paris."  
  
"Marseilles, actually," Hermione corrected, "I was in Paris when I wrote you."  
  
"And you came back?"  
  
"For you, Ron, I'd do anything." Ron grumbled at Hermione's words.  
  
"You guys are way too mushy," he pulled the covers over his head.  
  
"Aren't you glad to see us?" Harry asked.  
  
"Not particularly."  
  
"Why not?" said Harry.  
  
"I didn't want you to know. I didn't want you to be worried." Hermione smiled. She walked over to Ron's bed and pulled the covers away from his pallid face. Ron looked up at her with those sad, strong eyes.  
  
"I knew you had a heart in there somewhere, Ron Weasley," she said. Ron sighed, which was hard for him to do.  
  
"This is getting way too emotional," he groaned. There was quiet as no one knew what to say. There were plenty of awkward silences in the Burrow now that Ron had fallen ill. Finally, Harry sighed.  
  
"So..." he said, "What's wrong with you this time?" he half-joked. His attempt in lightening the mood had no effect. In fact, it just made Ron looked more depressed.  
  
"Well," he said, "First I got bronchitis and a fever, then I got nauseous and soon I'll get dizzy and lightheaded. After that I'll get really tired. And then..." he paused. He had planed to say that he'd die as if it were something casual but thought better of it. He knew it wouldn't help anything. He just sighed again, the pain in his chest increasing.  
  
"And then?" Hermione prompted.  
  
"Lauren... I mean, Dr. Barry said the strain will be too much on my lungs and heart," Ron answered softly. Again, there was silence.  
  
"If it makes any difference," said Ron, "she promised I wouldn't die..." he forced a laugh. He noticed that Hermione's smile stayed in place, though now it looked forced. She drew in a deep, trembling breath and turned away. Harry was watching her, too. He turned back to Ron.  
  
"Well," he said, "We'll visit you at St. Mungo's. We promise. We should be leaving now." Ron nodded at Harry's words. Harry took a long look at his best friend, withering away before him, ashen and pained. He understood why Hermione had turned away. He stood up, gave Ron one last smile, and left.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lauren looked into the ward, taking notes on a piece of parchment on her clipboard.  
  
"Dr. Barry?" someone said. Lauren turned to see one of her associates.  
  
"Hello, Dr. Wright."  
  
"I've just come down from the potions lab. I want to warn you to be careful."  
  
"Why?" Lauren was confused.  
  
"The Mordis Fly. It's not in behind the glass," his eyes were full of repressed panic, but his voice was calm.  
  
"The Mordis Fly? What's that doing in this hospital?" Lauren demanded, "You know it poses a severe health risk having that thing in here! If you need it for research, you are supposed to do that research in the isolated lab!"  
  
"We were! Except we had to move it for a day or two. We didn't think anything would happen but one of the new students thought it would be fun to show off to his friends all the new spells he'd learned for healing and broke the bottle the fly was in."  
  
"You are an idiot!" Lauren exclaimed, "Who could make a mistake like that?"  
  
"Apparently, that arrogant student!" Dr. Wright said, misinterpreting her question. As he was walking off, Lauren happened to look at the wall. Her eyes widened as she saw a large red mayfly with a long nose resting on the wall. Whipping out the wand, she entrapped it with a spell.  
  
"Charles?" she called. The doctor spun around and looked back, "I think I have your Mordis Fly!" Dr. Wright ran over to her and stared.  
  
"We'll put it in unbreakable glass this time."  
  
"If you weren't such an idiot you probably would have thought of that in the first place!" Lauren scolded, "Thanks for the warning!" Lauren turned back to the glass and watched Ron, asleep and tossing and turning in his bed. She sighed sadly.  
  
"Mr. Weasley I presume?" Lauren jumped. She hadn't noticed that Dr. Wright was still there.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"The red-haired boy in that bed." Dr. Wright nodded at the boy. Lauren nodded and Dr. Wright sighed. Then, he smiled, "I think he'd be a good guinea pig."  
  
"What?!" Lauren cried incredulously. Dr. Wright's eyes were on Ron.  
  
"Dr. McPherson's team have come up with what may be a cure," Lauren's eyes lit up at his words, "But we'll need to move him up to that lab." Lauren's heart skipped a beat, but she was still suspicious. She had known Dr. Charles Wright a long time, ever since she herself went to Hogwarts and they had never been great friends. Lauren found him annoying and he wasn't to fond of her either but they didn't hate each other. They found each other tolerable and would work together when necessary. Nevertheless, Lauren didn't really trust him. But he smiled at her.  
  
"Don't worry!" he put a hand kindly on her shoulder, "I know you take great pride in your patients. We'll treat him gently."  
  
"He's a special patient. He has important family and friends," she lied. Dr. Wright didn't seem to believe her, but he agreed anyway.  
  
"OK, we'll treat him with extra care, you have my word," he offered his hand to her. Lauren stared at it for a long time. Finally, she sighed.  
  
"Alright," she smiled, taking his hand, "Do it."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The dog sat in the park across the street from the hospital. He had a most peculiar expression for a dog. Had people paid more attention to him, they'd have noticed. In his mouth he held a small piece of parchment. He dropped it and looked at it one more time. Finally, he picked it up again and tore it in his teeth, ripping it to pieces. He jumped up on the bench and lay down. Placing his head on his paws, he fell asleep. As he did so, the remaining pieces of the parchment blew away into the wind. One piece, caught on a branch, read this:  
  
Sirius,  
Ron Weasley's very ill. He...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry yawned and leaned back in his chair. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sleep. He looked at the innocent form asleep in the chair next to his. She stirred but didn't awaken. Harry smiled at her. She'd been awake for a long time and deserved some rest. Harry had never seen Hermione so distressed. Even when she wasn't awake, her face was pale with worry. And as she kicked and muttered, Harry didn't even think she was at rest in her sleep. He didn't blame her. Horrible thoughts had been plaguing his nightmares for the past few weeks as well. If anything ever happened to Ron...  
  
"No..." Hermione muttered, "No, Ron... Please... No You'll be fine... don't leave me, Ron... I'm so sorry..." Harry heaved a sigh. He felt so helpless. Suddenly, Hermione awoke. It took her a minute to realize where she was. She looked at Harry, her eyes large with fear and burst into tears. She flung her arms around Harry's neck.  
  
"Oh Harry!" she sobbed. Awkwardly, Harry put his own arms around her, not quite sure what to do.  
  
"Don't do this, Hermione. You know I'm no good at this sort of thing..." he awkwardly patted her on the back.  
  
"The way I treated him..."  
  
"Hermione, there's no way you could have known," Harry pulled away from her, "There's no way either of us could have known."  
  
"I feel so terrible!" Hermione cried, "I've been having a blast this summer and Ron's been coughing and throwing up and everything! I feel so guilty!"  
  
"Ron doesn't want you to feel guilty. I'm sure he's glad you were having a good time!" Harry reassured her, not sure of what he said was true.  
  
"Do you think so?"  
  
"Why else wouldn't he want Ginny to tell us? You heard him, he said so himself, he didn't want to ruin our summer."  
  
"But we would have found out somehow!" Hermione protested.  
  
"Stop trying to find excuses to feel bad, Hermione!" Harry told her, "Really."  
  
"Do you think we can see him?" but as if in answer to that question, Lauren appeared, her expression undecipherable. She looked around and frowned. Harry and Hermione sat up. Her eyes fell on them. She smiled weakly and walked over to them.  
  
"You're Ron's friends?" she asked, looking at the two. She then noticed Harry and squinted at him, "Are you..."  
  
"Yeah," Harry answered before she could finish her question, "That's me." Lauren shook her head as if to clear her thoughts.  
  
"Right. Well, I have some good news and bad news. I think it's best you hear the good first."  
  
"Then go on," Hermione urged.  
  
"We may have found the cure and they're testing it on Ron. It shouldn't hurt him and if it works, he should recover in a couple of days or a little longer." At Lauren's words, Harry and Hermione's faces lit up.  
  
"However..." Lauren continued, "I am afraid you cannot see him for a while. He's been moved up to the lab. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like but I suggest you go home and get some proper rest." At that moment, Mrs. Weasley, who had been down in the cafeteria arrived.  
  
"Dr. Barry?"  
  
"Mrs. Weasley," Lauren smiled at Ron's mother and told her what she had just told Harry and Hermione. Hope glittered in Mrs. Weasley's eyes.  
  
"That's wonderful news, thank you, Dr. Barry, thank you! I'll have some good news to bring the family tonight."  
  
"I don't mean to get your hopes to high. This may not be it."  
  
"No, but it's better than letting him waste away in a bed not doing anything about it!" Mrs. Weasley smiled a truly happy smile, "Harry, Hermione, I think you should come home with me, unless you don't want to."  
  
"I think that's a good idea," Harry said and Hermione nodded.  
  
As they left, Lauren looked after them. The mother had seemed so happy. What if the cure they'd thought of didn't work? What if she had to let that poor family down? She didn't want to think about it.  
  
Then the thought came about their bill. It had been the reason the previous doctor had left. He saw no reason in staying for a patient who had an incurable illness and a small budget. But Lauren didn't care about the money in this particular case, which was unlike her. Usually, though her conscience would tell her otherwise, she would apologize to the family and try and explain the hospital's policy... no money, no treatment. It wasn't her idea. But she didn't care what her bosses would say. She would pay for it out of her own salary if it came to that. She was giving the Weasley family a break and all because of the bond that she felt she had with her patient. 


	4. Sirius and the Dream

A/N: I know this chapter's short. It's that way for suspense purposes ;-). Thanks for the reviews, keep em coming! The faster the reviewer reviews, the faster the poster posts!  
  
  
"OK, Mr. Weasley!" Dr. Wright smiled at the boy, holding a needle.  
  
"Can't you give that to me in potion form? Do you know how annoying it is getting an injection every day?" Ron asked, wearily. The past few days, he'd been very tired. He hadn't noticed any particular improvement.  
  
"It's better this way, Ron," Dr. Wright said, "It goes directly into your bloodstream this way." After he had injected Ron, he left the room and Ron tried to fall asleep. Dr. Wright met a man in a black cloak outside of Ron's room.  
  
"Is it working?" the man asked. Dr. Wright looked back into Ron's room and saw him hold his stomach and coughing. He turned back to the man.  
  
"When the serum enters the blood stream the boy becomes more nauseous. Over all, yes. It seems to be quickening the process. The boy is going through a very painful ordeal and he will die soon."  
  
"Very good, Wright, very good indeed. My Lord will be very pleased with you."  
  
"The money, Mr. Malfoy, if you will," Dr. Wright held out his hand. The man plunged his hand into his pocket and brought out a bag of coins.  
  
"It's all there, you can count it. And there will be more. How long to you think the process will take?"  
  
"About five days maybe, if no one interferes."  
  
"Make it quicker. The process should be quicker. Rather than five days, I want him dead within three."  
  
"Of course, I will increase his dosage." Dr. Wright nodded vigorously.  
  
"If you succeed in this, Wright," Malfoy whispered, "We will have a very powerful weapon indeed." And with that, he laughed and turned to leave.  
  
Hidden in shadow, a large black dog sat, watching the conversation with loathing. When Malfoy left, so did the dog, away to find certain persons and tell them what he'd seen. He had to act fast.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lauren was becoming more and more suspicious or Dr. Wright. He had been avoiding her for about a week, ever since Ron was moved to the lab. Now, as she saw him walking down the hall, she cornered him.  
  
"OK, Chuck, I want to know what's going on and I want to know it now!" she demanded.  
  
"What do you mean, Lauren?" he asked, innocently. Lauren's attitude lightened.  
  
"I was just wondering how my favorite patient's doing in your care," Lauren answered. "You are taking good care of him, aren't you?"  
  
"Of course, Lauren, but the serum doesn't seem to be working."  
  
"Then bring him back down here."  
  
"No, we aren't finished. We need to make more observations."  
  
"Let me see him then!" Lauren ordered, calmly. Dr. Wright hesitated. "Let me see him, up-Chuck!"  
  
"Fine!" he muttered, "I'll take you to him."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room to find it exceptionally dark. The fire in the fireplace was burning low and there was only one other person in the room and he was staring at the dying flames.  
  
"Hey," he said, without looking away from the fireplace.  
  
"Hey," Harry whispered back. The other person had his back to Harry and was sitting in a comfy armchair. Harry didn't know how, because he couldn't see his face and the voice was unrecognizable, be he knew who the person was.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked him. The other finally turned his face from the fire and shrugged.  
  
"Well, I'm here for two reasons. Partly because you wanted to see me, like this, and partly because I have to warn you. I have to ask for your help."  
  
"Anything you need from me, Ron, you know you have it!" said Harry. Ron smiled.  
  
"It's not as simple as that."  
  
"It's good to see you. It's good to see you looking... looking..."  
  
"Alive?" Ron asked.  
  
"Healthy would be a better word," Harry whispered, "Because you aren't dead." Ron sighed.  
  
"You're right, I'm not dead. But I will be. That's why I've come for your help."  
  
"Ron, you won't die," Harry sounded as if he was trying to convince himself as well as Ron, "You'll be fine. The cure-"  
  
"Is a poison," Ron turned back to the fire. Harry stared.  
  
"Poison?" He stuttered, "It can't be. How can it be a poison?" Ron sighed.  
  
"You see that fire Harry?" he asked. "It used to be bright and gave off so much warmth. It's flames leapt so high. It was a great fire, Harry."  
  
"Ron..."  
  
"But then, something happened. The oxygen... the fire couldn't get to the oxygen in the room. Without oxygen, a fire can't exist. So it slowly died as its oxygen was taken away. Its dying now, Harry."  
  
"Ron..." Harry couldn't say anything but the boy's name: "Ron..."  
  
"Don't you see what's going on?" Ron turned away from the fire and looked into Harry's eyes. Ron's blue eyes were full of desperateness. "That fire is me! Help me, Harry!"  
  
"Ron, the doctors... they..." but Ron's eyes stopped him from saying anymore.  
  
"You know the doctors aren't doing anything. It's up to you, now, Harry. You and Hermione and Sirius."  
  
"Sirius?"  
  
"You'll find out soon enough," Ron said, rising from his chair and picking up a bucket of water. He took one last look at Harry, and dowsed the flames. Everything went black.  
  
And then, Harry awoke. 


	5. Malfoy and Wright

Harry walked outside of the Burrow with Hermione, explaining about his dream.  
  
"Strange dream, Harry," Hermione commented, quietly, "But I don't think it means anything. I think it's just your fear."  
  
"Maybe your right," Harry shrugged. Suddenly, they stopped as they came across a black dog who seemed to be angry. Cautiously, Harry said:  
  
"Sirius?" the dog barked in reply. He tugged at Harry's clothes and led the two of them back to the house. He padded up to the door, looked around, and changed into a human.  
  
"What is it, Sirius?" Hermione asked. Sirius held a finger to his lips.  
  
"Shh! There's something very important I have to tell Mrs. Weasley." Harry and Hermione joined him at the door.  
  
"What?" they both asked.  
  
"About Ron. Do me a favor. Ask Mrs. Weasley if she could meet me outside."  
  
"What about Ron?" Harry and Hermione said in unison. But Sirius gave them a warning look.  
  
"I must talk to Mrs. Weasley. Then I'll decide if you should know," he answered.  
  
"Why can't you tell us?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I'm afraid about how you'll react; what you will do after."  
  
"Please, Sirius!" Harry begged, "If anyone ever really wanted to know about anything, it would be me about this. Whatever information you have, please, tell me! Ron's my best friend!" Sirius paused, looking long and hard at Harry. He looked at Hermione standing beside him, desperate and worried. Finally, he sighed.  
  
"I know how you feel," he whispered, "I really do."  
  
"Then tell us!" pleaded Harry, "Please!" Sirius looked around.  
  
"Harry, you have to promise me that you won't do anything drastic. We can get this under control. I'm sure when I told Dumbledore..."  
  
"OK!" Harry cried, "I promise!"  
  
"Good," Sirius looked at Harry straight in the eyes, "I trust you, Harry. But first, get Mrs. Weasley out here. I don't want to say this twice."  
  
When Mrs. Weasley finally arrived, a little nervous, Sirius explained what he'd seen. There was silence when he had finished.  
  
"F-Five days?" Harry stuttered.  
  
"No," Hermione said, tears in her eyes, "Malfoy said three."  
  
"We have to do something!" Mrs. Weasley cried, quite alarmed.  
  
"I didn't think I should come to you first," Sirius said, "Yesterday I went to Dumbledore. He's going over to St. Mungo's as we speak to find out what's going on."  
  
"Yeah? Well so am I!" Harry cried.  
  
"Me too!" Hermione agreed. Sirius sighed.  
  
"I was afraid you'd say that."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lauren looked sadly at Ron as he slept. It had been two days since Malfoy and Dr. Wright had spoken, though Lauren knew nothing of this. His fever had risen considerably and his hair was moist with perspiration. Ron stirred and opened his eyes.  
  
"Hey," Lauren said.  
  
"Hi," he answered, weakly. He squinted to see her more clearly.  
  
"You look... great," Lauren shrugged.  
  
"Don't lie," Ron said, "I'm too tired for that."  
  
"I'm sure you'll be just fine really soon," Lauren reassured him.  
  
"Yeah," Ron rolled his eyes, "Right, real soon. That's what they've been telling me ever since I got this stupid bug!"  
  
"Hush, Ron, rest," said Lauren, smoothing out his red hair. Ron gratefully closed his eyes again. Lauren stood up angrily and stomped out of the room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dumbledore walked up to the desk swiftly.  
  
"Direct me to where Ron Weasley is being treated immediately!" he demanded of the clerk.  
  
"I'm sorry, he's in the isolation unit. Unless you are a doctor, you cannot see him," the witch, a blond, told him, without looking up from her magazine.  
  
"Look at me, my good lady, and you tell me whether you think I can see him or not!" sighing and annoyed, the blond looked up and was so startled she fell off her chair.  
  
"P-Professor Dumbledore! Yes, yes, of course, right away!" She hurriedly put on some glasses and shuffled through some charts.  
  
"That is more like it."  
  
"Professor!" Harry cried as he saw Dumbledore at the desk. Dumbledore turned around instantly and smiled. Harry was followed closely by Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and a familiar black dog.  
  
"Harry," he said, "I was wondering when you'd get here."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dr. Wright opened the door to his office and gasped.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he asked the person sitting in the chair.  
  
"I'm here," he said, "to make sure you're on the right track."  
  
"Don't you trust me?"  
  
"It isn't a matter of trust, Wright." Suddenly, the door burst open and an angry woman stormed in, her brown eyes full of fury and her wild black curls falling on her shoulders and over her face.  
  
"Dr. Charles Timothy Wright!" she fumed, "What the hell are you doing?" she didn't even notice the other man sitting in the chair.  
  
"Lauren, get out of here," Dr. Wright said, hastily.  
  
"And why would I do that?" she demanded, "I have just gone to see the boy! The sickness doesn't work this fast! You've been giving him something and it's not the cure!" she finally noticed the other man in the room who was now standing up and she gasped, "Lucius Malfoy!"  
  
"Why hello, Dr. Barry! How lovely it is to see you again. I'm pleased you remember me."  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked, shocked. Lucius Malfoy sighed. Lauren had treated Narcissa when she was a young doctor. She had never forgotten how unpleasant she and her husband had been.  
  
"I am here to speak with the great Dr. Wright here. He has been helping me... with a project."  
  
"What project?"  
  
"Lauren!" Dr. Wright cried again, "Help me! I don't want to do this anymore! I've been trying to give the boy the antidote, I really have, but he won't let me! He'll kill me, Lauren, but please! Help him! Let me die! I don't deserve to live! I've been killing a life I should have been trying to save!" Dr. Wright dropped to his knees in front of Malfoy.  
  
"You better do it now, Malfoy!" he begged, "Because I'm not going any further with this experiment. I don't care about the money any more! It hurts me to see another wizard, especially a young one, in such pain!"  
  
"Shut up you blithering fool!" Malfoy said lazily. He rolled his eyes at the man groveling before him. He took out his wand and bound Dr. Wright in chains. Lauren stared wide-eyed at her colleague and the Death Eater. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The room suddenly got very cold and she felt shivers run up and down her spine.  
  
"What project?" Lauren repeated, bravely swallowing her fear. Malfoy grinned and spun his wand around his fingers.  
  
"Oh, just a little thing the Dark Lord wants... Have you heard of biological warfare?"  
  
"You wouldn't dare!" Lauren cried, incredulously. Her brown eyes were twice their normal size as she stared in shocking disbelief.  
  
"Oh, indeed we would," said Malfoy. He took out a small vial from his robes, "You see this here? Venom and blood from the Mordis fly along with a few ingredients of pennyroyal nightshade and poison ivy."  
  
"But that would kill him!"  
  
"Duh!" Malfoy cocked an eyebrow, "That's our goal anyway. What did you think biological warfare meant?"  
  
"And what are you doing to Ron?" Lauren demanded.  
  
"Oh, he's just a guinea pig. We needed someone to test on."  
  
"You son of a-"  
  
"Watch your language. I want to keep this as clean as possible."  
  
"Well that's not going to happen is it?" Lauren asked, cocking her own eyebrow skeptically, "You're going to kill him," she gestured at Dr. Wright, "And then you'll kill me."  
  
"Give the girl a prize," Malfoy smiled, "I don't need him any more. I have the ingredients for the potion," he pointed his wand at Dr. Wright, on the floor, expressionless. He was accepting this as punishment. He couldn't live with what he'd done.  
  
"I dare you," he breathed at Malfoy.  
  
"OK then. Avada Kedavera!" A jet of green light exploded from the end of Malfoy's wand and hit Charles Wright who fell to the floor, dead. Lauren stared at her dead colleague, her face blank. Her eyes had gone back to their normal size. She was beginning to believe... and accept, what was going to happen to her. And frankly, she didn't know why, but she wasn't scared at all.  
  
"I suppose you'll kill me that way?" she asked him.  
  
"On the contrary. I will kill you, but not with a swift curse." Malfoy snapped his fingers and the door to Wright's office opened. In walked a tall, dark, hooded figure and the temperature in the room seemed to drop even lower. Lauren had wondered where the coldness had come from. Her eyes were wide again. She hadn't been expecting this.  
  
"A dementor?" she stuttered, as she backed away towards the wall. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the creature.  
  
"E-Expecto Pa-Patronum!" she cried, weakly. Nothing emerged from her wand. She had never faced a real dementor before. The beast advanced on her and grasped her neck with its cold, scabby hands and lifted Lauren's face to its gaping mouth.  
  
"Good bye, Dr. Barry," Malfoy laughed. Lucius Malfoy Disapperated without a trace except for the file on Dr. Wright's desk... 


	6. Dumbledore (the Epilogue)

A/N: I enjoyed writing this and I hope you all enjoyed reading it. This is the final chapter *sniff.* I'm going off to London after this, but if you want to read my story Jasna: Child of the Wicked, Chapter three will be up tomorrow. It's kind of a Harry storry, not Ron, but if you like my style, you may like it. REVIEW! PLEASE! I LIVE OFF OF REVIEWS! They make me write faster and better! Constructive critism only! Flames are graciously deleted.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dumbledore burst into the room with Harry, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and the black dog (It had taken some convincing, but Dumbledore was allowed to take the dog in the hospital.) Their eyes darted from the dead form of Charles Wright, to the form of a young girl, cowering in the corner of the room, her untamed black curls hiding her eyes. Dumbledore shook his head sadly as he walked over to her.  
  
"Dr. Barry, only twenty-seven years of age. She had just gotten her degree in CMD. Contagious Magical Diseases. Poor soul. Best thing to do is put her out of her misery," sighing, Dumbledore took out his wand.  
  
"But that's illegal!" Harry cried as Dumbledore was about to say the words. Dumbledore turned to Harry.  
  
"If a friend of yours was in unbearable pain, and you knew she would beg you to die if she could speak, would you kill her? Or would you let her suffer?"  
  
"I suppose I'd kill her..." Harry whispered, quietly.  
  
"And murder is a crime. But when you are saving them from more pain, it is not." And with this, Dumbledore turned back to Lauren and whispered those horrible words that made Lauren fall to the ground, dead.  
  
"She was Ron's doctor," Mrs. Weasley whispered, unable to look at her. Dumbledore frowned and looked back at Lauren.  
  
"If I remember my students correctly," he said, quietly, "Lauren was always pestering me to help her get her muggle recording device to work on Hogwarts grounds. But we all know very well that muggle inventions don't work at Hogwarts. But Lauren was a clever girl... she bewitched it so it would. She wasn't supposed to, it's a crime, really, but I never told anyone... She came from a non-magical background and had grown up with these things. She told me they were useful to her for various reasons. Studying, writing... even blackmailing. Though her parents were muggles, she was a very bright little witch," Dumbledore's eyes fell on Hermione as he said this. Hermione shrank away from his gaze. Dumbledore went over to Lauren on the floor and looked in the pocket of her white robes.  
  
"Ah ha!" he cried, smiling, as he pulled out a small muggle invention, "She would never part with it." Dumbledore re-winded the tape and pressed play.  
  
"Good-for-nothing Wright!" came Lauren's voice from the machine, "I'll teach him to mess with my patients! I promised Ron he'd get better and he will and Wright won't stop that!" there was silence for a minute, then "Dr. Charles Timothy Wright! What the hell are you doing?"  
  
Another voice said "Lauren, get out of here!" and the assembled listened in silence to the discussion. Finally came Malfoy's voice at the end of the tape.  
  
"Good by, Dr. Barry..."  
  
Everyone was silent. Dumbledore's eyes flew to the file on the desk and walked over to it. He smiled.  
  
"Oh Lucius, how forgetful you are!" Dumbledore shook his head and leafed through the file. He stopped and his eyes widened slightly.  
  
"I didn't expect... yes... Nasturtium works against respiratory sicknesses... lotus blossoms are sacred and protect you from misfortune, as does mistletoe... Saffron is brilliant with healing... why, this man was a genius!"   
  
"Professor?" Hermione asked, "What is in that file?"  
  
"The poison..." Dumbledore said, "... And the cure." He looked up at Mrs. Weasley, Harry, Hermione, and Sirius, who had now transformed to a man again, with a smile.  
  
"Ron can be helped."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
It was a time of mixed feelings. The hospital was thrilled that one of their doctors, Dr. Charles Wright, had found a cure, but was also devastated that they had lost two of their most brilliant doctors. While Dr. Wright was working for Malfoy and Lord Voldemort for some much needed money, he had been researching the cure, in secret. It had been his job, after all, to find a cure.  
  
Slowly but surely, Ron began to regain his health with adequate amounts of the cure for the Mordis Disease. After about a week or so, Harry and Hermione were allowed to visit him. Harry and Hermione told him everything that happened. How Dr. Wright was responsible for both saving him... and nearly killing him. The most difficult part was telling him about Lauren. When they did, Ron just looked at them blankly.  
  
"He killed her then?" Ron asked, "Dumbledore, I mean." Harry and Hermione nodded. Both of them became very interested in all the other things in the room other than Ron as they noticed his eyes begin to glisten.  
  
"I... I know it sounds stupid," said Ron, "But... there was just something about her... I don't know. It's like... It's like we'd met before. Like I'd known her a long time ago. Like she was an old friend. I think she felt the same way."  
  
"That doesn't sound stupid at all, Ron," Harry muttered. Ron quickly changed the subject.  
  
"So," he said, "Have you gone shopping for school yet? It starts in a couple of days."  
  
"Yeah, we know. But we haven't bought our supplies yet. We wanted to do it with you," Hermione told him.  
  
"Awe, how sweet," Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
"There is some good news. We now have proof against Malfoy thanks to Lauren's recorder... what?" as Harry was saying this, Hermione was shaking her head hard.  
  
"No, we don't," Hermione sighed, "The tape. It's gone. We don't know where it went. He runs free yet again." There was silence for a few minutes, then Ron sat straight up in his bed with an exclamation for which Hermione scolded him.  
  
"What is it, Ron?" Harry asked, afraid it was something urgent.  
  
"I haven't done my potions essay! Snape'll kill me!" Harry and Hermione laughed. Ron sighed and joined in, "Well, I suppose I could write it quickly. On the train or something. Explain about the Mordis Poison and the Mordis cure. That'll be interesting!" he grinned.  
  
"It's good to hear you laugh again, Ron," Harry smiled. Hermione nodded in agreement.  
  
"And you don't know how good it feels to laugh!" Ron cried.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The school term was beginning and Ron had made nearly a full recovery. Just about to walk through to the platform, Ron began to cough hard. Harry, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley rushed over to him while Fred and George snickered.  
  
"Are you OK?" they were asking. Ron was doubled over. Finally, he looked up with a grin.  
  
"Gotchya!" he laughed. At the stern faces he got from his friends and his mother, he quickly added, "Fred and George made me do it!"  
  
"I don't care! You're going to miss the train, go on!" Mrs. Weasley hurried Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny through the barrier.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Hermione boarded the train laughing. On their way to their compartment, they saw Dean and Seamus, two friends of theirs.  
  
"Hey Harry, Ron, Hermione!" Dean said, "You won't believe what happened to Seamus this summer! He actually met the Weird Sisters! Can you believe it?"  
  
"So," Seamus said, "What did you guys do this summer?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked at each other and grinned.  
  
"Oh, nothing," Harry yawned.  
  
"Positively boring!" Hermione added.  
  
"Definitely unexciting," Ron nodded. They looked at each other again and an unspoken wave of understanding went through them. As they entered their compartment, Harry said to Ron for the millionth time:  
  
"Great to have you back, Ron!"   
  
And Ron replied for the millionth time "It's great to be back, Harry!"  
  
THE END 


End file.
